Why would anyone want to purchase a smartphone outright when they could instead just rent it indefinitely?
That seems to be the thinking of Apple, which is reportedly working on a hardware subscription service that would allow customers to pay recurring fees in exchange for access to the latest iPhone. So notes Bloomberg in a report that, while admittedly light on specifics, suggests Apple is eyeing a future in which owning an iPhone isn’t a prerequisite to getting locked into the Apple apps and services ecosystem.
We reached out to Apple in an attempt to confirm Bloomberg’s reporting, as well as with a host of questions about the company’s timeline and plans. A company spokesperson declined to comment.
If confirmed, Apple wouldn’t be the first tech company to push toward a subscription model. Way back in 2013, Adobe, the maker of the widely popular photo-editing software Photoshop, ceased selling its software outright and began requiring customers to pay a monthly access fee.
Now, it’s important to note that nowhere in Bloomberg’s reporting does it claim Apple would stop selling phones. Even so, reactions were swift.
“So bringing back iPhone upgrade program? I tried that once and I *hated* paying monthly for my phone and vowed to never do it again,” wrote Karissa Bell, a senior editor at Engadget.
Others merely bemoaned the general trend away from actual device ownership, which brings with it all sorts of implied right-to-repair issues.
Apple’s exact hardware subscription plans remain a mystery at this point. But perhaps in the face of a viscerally negative customer response, Apple will show some courage and go ahead with it anyway.
